Prey
by Reiya Wakayama
Summary: D/S, pre-slash, Jackson really needs to use that pretty head of his for more than just hair support.


**Title:** Prey

**Disclaimer:** Teen Wolf is owned by Jeff Davis, and other associated parties. I do not make any profit from this story and the plot is purely fiction.

**Summary:** D/S, pre-slash, Jackson really needs to use that pretty head of his for more than just hair support.

**Rating:** PG-13

**Warnings:** mild violence, Stiles is prey, Jackson's an idiot, Derek to the rescue

**Pairings/Characters:** Stiles Stillnski, Derek Hale, Stiles Stillnski/Derek Hale (pre-slash)

**Word Count:** 937

**Author's Note:** So apparently, I'm a little caught up in Teen Wolf cause I'm getting so many fic ideas. This is just a little something I wrote.

xXx

Somehow, they end up regrouping. Scott and Alison show up together. Derek turns to see Lydia stumbling through the bushes, hair wild and tangled. Jackson is last to show and Derek waits for Stiles to appear behind the wolf, remembers seeing the two running in the same direction.

When the teen human doesn't show, he turns to Jackson, "Where's Stiles?"

"What?" Jackson asks, looking confused as to why he would know the answer.

"Where. Is. Stiles?" Derek growls out, stepping closer.

"How should I know? We split up," Jackson says with a shrug. "I figured whatever that thing is; it would come after me anyways."

Derek sees red at the teen's words. "Do you even listen to yourself?" Derek yells, stalking forward. "Do you even use that brain for anything but hormone production? What does a predator hunt?" Derek asks, growling now, eyes glowing red as his control starts to slip.

"Prey," Jackson says softly, eyes wide, trembling, taking a step back.

"Exactly, prey. The young, the old, the weak or sick, the easiest person to go after. And you just left Stiles alone to defend himself. What the hell were you thinking?" Derek yells. He doesn't wait for an answer, taking off the way Jackson had come.

* * *

Stiles has to stop eventually, winded from running so much. He'd split ways with Jackson about ten minutes before, hoping that the thing chasing them would become confused when their trail split. Panting, he leans against the nearest tree, ears straining to hear if anything has followed him.

He can't hear much over the sound of his heart pounding in his ears. A twig snaps behind him and Stiles whirls around, squinting in the dark, trying to see whatever it is that made the noise. All he can make out is the silhouettes of trees and darkness. "Jackson?" Stiles calls out. Leaves rustle to his left and Stiles turns that way. "Scott?"

There's a growl behind Stiles and the hair on the back of his neck stands on end. Stiles turns slowly to see a looming shadow prowling closer. He takes a step back and the thing follows. His foot catches on something just as the creature slashes out at him and he falls back with a yell.

His head strikes something hard and stars burst in front of his eyes and his body goes numb for a second before pain shoots through his head. His chest throbs where the creature's claws had racked his chest. Stiles tries to move, to get up but he can't seem to get full control of his lead heavy limbs.

He can hear the creature getting closer and panic starts to set in. He's going to die, in the woods, alone. He tries to move again and pain explodes in his head again as he shifts it to the side, black dots dancing before his eyes and he cries out softly, feeling his consciousness bleeding away. He blacks out just as the creature stands over him, its eyes an eerie glowing green.

* * *

Stiles comes to in a hospital bed, the side of his head bandaged and throbbing with each beat of his heart. He can hear the heart monitor beeping in sync with each throb. Blinking to clear the blurriness from his eyes, Stiles starts to look around the room.

He doesn't get very far, his eyes landing on the shadowed form of Derek Hale sitting in the chair next to his bed. The Alpha is silent as he stares back at Stiles. "Wha-," Stiles swallows and tries again, "What happened?"

"I killed it," Derek says simply. "It was just about to kill you when I found you."

"Oh," Stiles says, relief flooding his system. He looks over at Derek, who for once doesn't have his trademark glare on his face. In fact, he looks a little relieved. "Thanks," Stiles says.

"For what?" Derek asks, looking confused.

"For not letting it eat me," Stiles says back and yeah, it's not his normal sarcastic wit, but his head is pounding like a hammer on an anvil so he's allowed to be a little off his game at the moment. "I mean, I know I'm not pack or anything, but…" Stiles doesn't finish as Derek growls lowly. "What?"

"Who said you're not pack?" Derek asks.

"N-no one, I just assumed, being human and all, it's kind of hard to be in a werewolf pack and all," Stiles says as the beeping monitor speeds up slightly.

Derek glances at the increase and takes a breath and lets it out slowly, the red in his eyes fading away. He looks back at Stiles. "You are pack and don't say you're not. A pack isn't just wolves. A pack is family. So don't say otherwise," Derek growls again a little but it's not meant to be scary or anything, just meant to push a point.

"Oh," Stiles says again, at loss of what to say to something like that. His heart does a funny little beat, the monitor picking it up and then steadies. "Okay."

"Get some rest. Your dad will be here soon," Derek says, standing.

"What did you guys tell him?" Stiles asks.

"That you were attacked by a mountain lion," Derek says. Before Stiles can ask or say anything else, Derek stalks out of the room and disappears around the corner. Stiles heart does another funny little beat as he realizes that Derek actually cares about him, at least enough to check on him and wait for him to wake up in the hospital. The monitor beeps again, but Stiles ignores it.

**End**


End file.
